Mutual Respect
by Rose Tinted Contact Lenses
Summary: He promised he would get her some proper food, and now he's going to. They are friends that share... mutual respect. Definitely not a date. Right?
1. Promises

_This works as a standalone, but is also part of a series: _Observation & Engineering, John, The Sound Of Silence, Oblivious, Solace, Loved & Lost, Belonging _and_ Once More, With Feeling_. Yes, it's really __**that **__big. _Belonging_ and _Oblivious_ may add more to this piece for you in particular._

_To anyone who follows these stories - I apologise for the late update; it was due to (very minor) injury. Since Monday is my other updating day, I thought it might be the best time. _

_If it helps, this is also a two-parter, with the conclusion being on Friday. _

_Warning - a tad fluffy - may induce nausea if stated dose is exceeded. Enjoy._

* * *

><p><strong>Mutual Respect<strong>

**1**

**-Promises-**

He looks at her askance, as if he is... nervous? No, that's ridiculous - this man faced down _Saren, _had _Sovereign _crash into him and came out of it reasonably unscathed, and yet he is looking... well, shifty, for lack of a better word.

He walks up to her, giving a reassuring grin (though she wonders if it's for herself or him) and, clearing his throat, asks, "Remember when I promised you that I'd get you some _real _food?"

She nods, beginning, "You have. The _mesh'ka _was a wonderful thought - "

He shakes his head, his smile growing even wider. "Thing is... Garrus suggested a nice little hybrid place on the Presidium, and I thought it might be good to catch up. Properly. Get some lunch. We'll be stopping at the Citadel in a couple days, after all."

_He remembered? _She looks at him in surprise, and for a moment, discounting the sound of the drive core, there is an... interesting silence. He shifts his weight onto his other foot, trying to hide it but looking awkward, until she closes her mouth and pulls herself together. "That... that would be nice. Thank you, John."

He raises his eyebrows, giving her a grin. "Good. I better check up on the crew." He moves towards the door at a surprising pace. She's sure he never used to be this jumpy.

What has gotten into him lately?

* * *

><p>He's starting to wonder himself. Exhaling as he steps into the elevator, he presses the up button, keeping his expression carefully neutral; inside, he's... anxious is one word for it - gritting his teeth and trying not to panic is another.<p>

He hasn't been on a... he tries not to think of it as a _date..._ in - he thinks - four years: constant ship-hopping and the close threat of death, as well as being screwed up from Akuze, have hardly made it easy to meet women.

He's not a vain man, but he's pretty sure Alliance gear isn't the right thing to wear on a - whatever this is. (_Not _a date. Just two friendly... friends who mutually respect each other reminiscing about old times. Of course. In the privacy of the elevator, he groans, running a hand down his face.)

It's mutual respect to _Tali, _of course. To_ him, _it's something else entirely_._

* * *

><p><em>Mutual respect, <em>she reminds herself. He is her friend and this is definitely _not _a date. He's her commanding officer, and he isn't... "into aliens", as Ashley would have put it. She misses the woman - advice might have been nice.

She doesn't _need_ advice; this is _not _a date, she tells herself again.

So why is she desperately sorting through the few luxury items she's packed in the hope of finding something to wear?

* * *

><p>When they eventually do stop at the Citadel, he arranges to meet her outside the Embassy, giving her a time.<p>

She nods, running for the Presidium's best stores as soon as he's out of sight.

Little does she know that he's doing the same.

* * *

><p>He can't help but notice the new shawl, a simple pattern but on expensive-looking material. She can't help but notice the new... well, <em>outfit,<em> casual but well-kept. She wonders where he's got it from, why she hasn't seen it before. They both pretend not to stare as they walk to greet each other.

* * *

><p>They can both eat the food, though not necessarily the same dishes, and they look at each other's food cautiously, radiating a general air of "what is <em>that?<em>" and laughing at each other's faces. Hers is mush that she has to take through her suit, but _edible _mush, rather than protein paste.

They ignore the curious and occasionally hostile looks, and talk about the old Normandy, the old crew.

It's only when they're talking about what Ashley is doing, about missing her, that Tali asks, "Why didn't you and her ever... well, _you know?_"

He appears to choke on his salad, recovering with dignity mostly intact and looking at her in astonishment. "I... what?" He seems to think for a moment, snapping out of his horror. "I won't deny that she's a very attractive woman..." (Tali pretends that her eyes aren't narrowing and her fists aren't clenching under the table) "... But I didn't - there was no chemistry. She was a friend. And then..." He stops, swallows. "... Then there was... someone else."

She knows exactly what he means, her mouth falling open in surprise.

She isn't sure why she doesn't just leave then and there, but of course this _isn't _a date. Now she knows that for _sure._

_Of course. Liara._


	2. The Other Woman

_Ah, so it wasn't just me... Loved the collective facepalm from everyone who reviewed._

_Also, Janizary, if you're reading - I am going to write landing gear for the Normandy in this series if it __**kills **__me. I, er, hope it won't, though._

* * *

><p><strong>Mutual Respect<strong>

**-2-**

**The Other Woman**

He swallows, seeming to hastily back-pedal. _Damn._ "Garrus was right about the food. It really is great."

She nods, then says quietly, trying hard to inject some humour into her voice, "I thought you weren't... 'into aliens'."

He frowns, looking at her as if she's said something incredibly stupid. Well, if he was carrying on a relationship with the asari, she probably has. "Who told you that?"

She joins him in the back-pedalling. "I... um, I just assumed... Why are you laughing?"

He shakes his head. "I... oh, nothing."

As if she could be any more humiliated.

They eat in silence. Awkwardness pervades the table, and they get the bill rather quickly.

_Definitely not a date._

* * *

><p>Garrus gives her the same look when she asks him, mandibles twitching. "The commander and Liara?"<p>

She nods.

"I... don't think so."

* * *

><p>"What's up with Tali?"<p>

Shepard turns at the sound of Jacob's voice, shrugging. "I... don't know. Think I said something stupid, though."

"Looks like it. She's acting like someone's kicked her puppy."

Shepard frowns at the archaic expression, but winces at the statement, "Really? I hope she isn't too p..."

"Offended?" Jacob finishes, placing one perfectly polished rifle on the counter. "Think she is, commander."

_"Please _don't do that, Jacob." Shepard sighs at the use of "commander", feeling a twinge at remembering when he used to ask the same of Tali.

_You've __**really **__blown this one, John._

* * *

><p>Tali sighs. She wouldn't exactly call Garrus <em>cagey, <em>but he'd seemed remarkably reluctant to answer any of her questions, and there were lots of usues of phrases like, "It's a long story", and, "You'd have to ask him that."

Not Liara, though. She's confused - perhaps someone back on his home planet?

She cringes remembering the not-quite-date; surely there's a way to explain?

She finishes a couple of calibrations on the drive core, then makes a decision.

* * *

><p>The elevator ride is the longest she's ever had, even considering the Citadel's, and she taps one foot anxiously, staring at the buttons as she does so.<p>

Reaching the CIC, she asks Kelly if she's seen Shepard.

The woman smiles. "Think he's in his quarters. Any reason why?"

She hastily shakes her head, moving back to the elevator.

* * *

><p>The door to his quarters - or The Loft, as he's taken to calling it - is shut, and she knocks softly. No reply. <em>Oh, keelahh... <em>He probably doesn't want to talk to her after yesterday.

She tries one last time, more loudly, and he opens it... _smiling? _"Tali?" He look pointedly to the door's video alert system. He opens it further, gesturing for her to come in. She takes a seat at his desk, trying to make out the song that he's playing on the sound system, but it's so low that she can't hear it properly. She looks at the shelves by his desk, and the... tiny model ships? She picks one up, examining it carefully - there are only two, one being the Normandy SR1, and the other being... a Migrant Fleet ship? She raises her eyebrows under her mask. Why would he have _this _here?

He sits on his bed, and asks her, his voice quiet, "Is this about yesterday?"

She nods, and there's an awkward pause, until they both say, "I'm sorry." They laugh nervously at their mistake until he says, "I shouldn't have said that..."

She interrupts. "I shouldn't have tried to... to find out. It was... none of my business."

He shakes his head, walking over to his fish tank and sprinkling some sort of mix into it. His voice is even lower. "It was. It is." He looks her in the eye. "Look... I'll tell you someday. When all this is over. I promise."

Doubt and hope mix in her voice. "You... you really think we'll survive this?"

He smiles. "We can try." He swallows. "We'll get through this."

He smiles, and she can't help but smile with him.


End file.
